Halstead manager gives approval to non-league plans

Halstead Town manager Mark McLean is hopeful the Football Association’s plans to shake up the non-league game could benefit his club, writes Liam Apicella.

Many of the proposals will affect teams at Ryman League level, but the governing body has also confirmed its intention to form a new division at Step Six in the Essex area by 2018/19.

The changes are primarily being made in a bid to reduce costs and travelling times.

Whether this will have any impact on Halstead, who currently play at Step Six in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division, is currently unclear, but McLean believes it can only be good news from a player’s point of view.

“Keeping costs down would not do any harm, that is for sure,” said McLean, who took control of the club earlier this month.

“Getting players to commit is tough these days because we all live busy lives and work long hours.

“It means players do not want to travel far because the whole of their Saturdays are going to be taken up.

“If these changes help to reduce that, it can only be a positive thing.”

n For further information on how the upcoming changes could impact the likes of Halstead and AFC Sudbury, see www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/sport